syndetic

Syndetic is an adjective used in linguistics to describe the joining of words, phrases, or clauses by a connective, typically a coordinating conjunction such as and, or, or but. The term derives from the Greek syndetos, meaning bound together. In grammatical description, syndetic coordination contrasts with asyndetic coordination (where no conjunction is used) and with polysyndetic coordination (where multiple conjunctions are repeated in a list).

In syntax, syndetic construction involves linking elements with a conjunction or a series of conjunctions. Examples include simple cases like "She bought apples and oranges" and extended lists such as "We traveled by bus, by train, and by ferry." The presence of the conjunctions affects rhythm, pace, and emphasis, and can influence how processes or items are perceived as a group.

In rhetoric and stylistics, the related concept is syndeton, the deliberate use of coordinating conjunctions to connect items in a sequence. Syndeton can slow the cadence and create a sense of accumulation, in contrast to asyndeton, which omits conjunctions to quicken pace. For example, a syndetic form of a famous list would be "I came and I saw and I conquered," whereas "I came, I saw, I conquered" is an asyndetic variant.

Syndetic usage varies across languages and genres, but the underlying idea remains the explicit linking of parallel units through conjunctions. See also asyndeton, polysyndeton, and coordinating conjunction.